Centre plans to introduce 16 bills

New Delhi: Amid exit poll results on Monday predicting a big majority for the BJP in Gujarat and a dead heat in Himachal Pradesh, the BJP-led NDA government is ready to face the winter session of Parliament beginning Wednesday.

The Union government plans to introduce 16 bills during the session, which is also likely to be the last session to be held in the existing Parliament House. The session will continue till December 29 and will have 17 sittings over 23 days.

A day after the session starts, votes for the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh Assembly polls will be counted. The outcome is likely to have a bearing on the proceedings whichever way the verdict goes as parties may use the verdict to corner rivals.

Out of the 16 bills that the government has listed for consideration in the session, the Congress said it is opposed to three bills -- the Biological Diversity (Amendment) Bill, 2021, Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill, 2022, and the forest conservation amendment bill, 2022. "We want these bills to be sent to standing committees. There is a need for more discussion on these bills and the Congress cannot support them in their current form," he had said.

Among the new bills is one which seeks to increase accountability and reform electoral process in multi-state cooperative societies. The National Dental Commission Bill, which seeks to set up a National Dental Commission and to repeal the Dentists Act, 1948, is also in the tentative session agenda of the government. The National Nursing and Midwifery Commission Bill, another measure the Health Ministry plans to introduce, seeks to set up a National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC) and to repeal the Indian Nursing Council Act, 1947. The Cantonment Bill, 2022, is another draft law the government proposes to bring in the session which will conclude on December 29. The bill relates to the administration of cantonments with a view to impart greater democratisation, modernisation and efficiency.

It also seeks to achieve greater developmental objectives in alignment with municipalities across the country. The bill also intends to facilitate 'ease of living' in cantonments.

Another bill in the list is the Old Grant (Regulation) Bill, 2022.The purpose of the bill is to regulate land given under Governor General Orders of 1836, 1827, 1838, 1849 and 1851, including their transfer, subdivision and change of purpose. It also seeks to delegate powers for better management of such land.